Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and central intelligence agency (CIA) Director Leon Panetta has sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of the ongoing conflict with Iran, calling the administration’s approach improvised and lacking strategic planning.
In an interview with a British newspaper, Panetta said that three weeks into the conflict, President Trump finds himself in a trapped situation with limited options.
According to Panetta, the President has relied on rhetoric and statements rather than well-thought-out military and diplomatic planning, suggesting that Trump assumes his declarations will make outcomes reality.
Panetta also described the targeted killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a significant miscalculation. He said that rather than provoking public unrest in Iran, the action has strengthened the hardline leadership in Tehran.
The former CIA Director expressed surprise that the U.S. administration had not prepared in advance for the possibility of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, despite this scenario being a recurring topic in national security discussions. He warned that such a move could trigger a global oil crisis.
Panetta highlighted the strategic constraints faced by the U.S., noting that Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz makes immediate ceasefire efforts difficult.
He suggested that the U.S. might be forced to target Iranian coastal defense systems to ensure safe passage for oil tankers, although such action risks escalation and potential casualties.
Criticizing current Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Panetta described him as a political supporter of the President rather than an effective defense leader.
He also condemned the administration’s use of military footage and images of fallen soldiers for promotional and fundraising purposes, calling it inappropriate.
Finally, Panetta criticized the Trump administration for not apologizing for an American strike on a girls’ school in Iran, saying that this failure has reinforced a negative global perception of the United States.
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